Salvation Archives - NowTHINK!AboutIt

Why It’s Impossible To Invoke Old Testament Law In The Modern Era

December 24, 2025 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Old Testament Laws Changed Society
But Did Nothing
To Change Basic Human Nature

Before we start, a few preliminary facts are in order.

The term Old Testament law refers to the legal codes specifically mentioned in the books Exodus through Deuteronomy.
According to Jewish scholarship, there are a total of 613 laws.
The Ten Commandments provide the legal framework and every Old Testament law can be categorized under one of these ten.
The Ten Commandments were focused on two areas, both of which were relationships: the relationship we have with God (four commandments) and the relationship we have with humans (six commandments). The fact that these laws were relationship driven was confirmed by Jesus in His discussion about the two great commandments (love God, love your neighbor – Matthew 22:34-40).
All 613 laws, in one way or another, targeted abuse. We aren’t to abuse our relationship to God and we aren’t to abuse our relationship to family, friends and neighbors. Even neglecting mold in one’s house, which had nothing to do with the ceremonial service, endangered the lives of others, a type of abuse (Leviticus 14:33-53).
When specific Old Testament laws were applied in individual cases, the outcome was the equivalent of case law. The intent of case law remained the same, reduce abuse.

Now to the discussion. [Read more…] about Why It’s Impossible To Invoke Old Testament Law In The Modern Era

Catholicism Is More Bad Than Good

December 21, 2024 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

“Unworthy” Speaks To The Manner
In Which You Relate To Others
Not Your Nature

Catholicism is big. Put your finger anywhere on any map and you’ll land close to Catholic influence.

Unfortunately, that can be good or bad. Sometimes very bad.

Even as I write this I know some will balk because they know a few Catholics. They work with some. They are neighbors to others. They’ve heard about Mother Theresa and all these people left very good impressions. They’re good people. They do good things. They are pleasant, social, helpful and the like.

If that was all there was to the argument, enough said, let’s move on but it isn’t.

My arguments here are not aimed at the good Catholics you’ve come to love.

The truth I’m focused on is the fact that everyone has been influenced by the Catholic church. That includes you and me both.

I’m not saying you like them or not, that you agree or disagree. I’m saying that what you think, the way you think, has been in same way influenced by Catholic ideologies.

Catholic Influence Is Both Good And Bad

Influence isn’t necessarily wrong but in the case of the Catholic Church, influence is both negative and positive in every sense. They do good things on the one hand and then turn it into something bad on the other.

Doctrinally, they emphasize the name of Jesus often and loudly. That’s a good thing. They quote Scripture in their services and many of those quotes include the very words Christ spoke. Sometimes that’s all they do other than go through repetivite ceremonies with great fanfare and, of course, offer the sacraments.

The ceremonies don’t offer much in the way of explanation but the sacraments – Communion – are usually accompanied by Scripture which does provide a little understanding.

In every case, however, the simplicity of Scripture is skewed in a Catholic direction. [Read more…] about Catholicism Is More Bad Than Good

Book Release: Calvinism’s Fallacies by Ennis Pepper

March 13, 2023 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Calvinism’s Fallacies: Why The Gospel Applies To Anyone, Anywhere, At Any Time, Under Any Circumstance

Calvinim’s Fallacies is available for free through Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited program but the ebook version can also be purchased at Amazon inexpensively for just $2.99.

This book is not so much about Calvinism as it is a response to Calvinism. Since Calvinism grates against fairness and logic to begin with and has proven very difficult to clearly and rationally explain, it wouldn’t make sense to write another book on that topic.

To be sure, there are plenty of books attempting to explain or teach Calvinism and if you read them all, you would still be in the dark. Apart from the terminology (called, chosen, elect, predestined, grace, etc.), which everyone accepts, calvinists and non-calvinists alike, there is no thread of agreement. The acronym, TULIP, is a good example.

The acronym represents the five points of Calvinistic teaching, which on the surface seems to focus the thinking and coalesce disparate ideas, but when you read through explanations for each point, you find a range of variations as broad as the Gulf of Mexico and the reasoning for the differences, if you could call it that, as long as the Mississippi.

The intention here is not to explain Calvinism but rather to point out an entirely different perspective on terms like elect and predestined. There are, of course, other books that have attempted this also but those voices are drowned out by all the celebrating over being specially chosen while everyone else goes to hell. Hence, one more book to add a different perspective to a well worn discussion. Hopefully you find it clear and concise enough to be helpful.

This book only shares a few anecdotes on the historical effect of Calvinism but an extensive study on that topic could settle the question for most people. The interesting truth is Calvinism wasn’t institutionalized till John Calvin gave it academic weight in His Institutions. It didn’t take strong hold till it settled into the American northeast with the Pilgrims. Maybe that will be the next book.

Two Important Truths Motivate Evangelism

January 7, 2022 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Laws And Political Processes Are Essential
But Only The Gospel Can Change The World

The WHAT and WHY of evangelism should be the primary point of every curriculum in every Bible teaching program, whether it’s Sunday School, small group, or Bible college.

Why do I say that? Because Evangelism is paramount. Jesus didn’t die so you and I could become clever theologians. He died to save sinners.

Christians have a thirst to learn about God and the Bible and are more sensitized to Bible truth but knowledge for the sake of knowledge isn’t exactly the point. We should learn all we can and use what we learn for productive spiritual purposes but learning makes you responsible and accountable, not special. It doesn’t make you more spiritual.

Learning is important not because it makes us more knowledgeable but because the process of learning helps us develop useful qualities. The ability to read, analyze, and reason is helpful for all of life.

Christians often say the unconverted can’t intellectually process Bible truth but if you follow that idea to its logical end, you’ll find yourself in a junkyard of disposed ideologies. All humans can engage with biblical topics intellectually, saved or not.

I know some will read that and disagree. Why? Well, the Bible makes a statement that seems to counter the idea.

The natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14)

But is that verse speaking of the ability to grasp the truth or the ability to tolerate it? Probably a little bit of both. Remember that the Pharisees often reacted defensively to the teachings of Jesus not because they didn’t understand but because they did.

Either way, salvation should be the first point of discussion. If you are of the opinion that the unconverted have zero ability to see spiritual truths, that’s all the more reason to start and regularly flavor every conversation with the Gospel. How much you know otherwise may be helpful to you personally but it won’t impress the unconverted.

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The Gospel and Salvation are the things we should talk about more frequently than anything else. It should at least be the first topic on the list. Think of it as Bible 101.

If you really believe the unconverted can’t understand Bible teachings at a deeper level then your only reasonable option is to speak often and repeatedly about salvation. That’s the only way to get the ball rolling.

With a conscience, anyone can understand the concepts of sin, faith. and forgiveness.

But they’ll never know about it if we don’t talk about it, hence Evangelism.

There are two important truths that can help motivate our evangelistic efforts but before mentioning those, a little background. [Read more…] about Two Important Truths Motivate Evangelism

1 Ultimate Goal For Every Christian

June 10, 2021 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Living Apart From Sin
Doesn’t Mean You’re Above It

Personal Evangelism is paramount. Of all the things Christians do, this is the most important.

It is the reason we do anything at all.

You could say that Personal Evangelism is to Christian living what scoring is to football.

Football has many facets and every detail is carefully measured and monitored during training. Running speed, balance, toughness, reflexes, vision, discipline, upper body strength, and lower body strength to name just a few.

Offensive linemen are even tested for right-left eye dominance and attitude is an important factor for every member on the team.

But none of these details matter if the end result is not attained: points on the board.

How important a player is to the team has little to do with his raw ability and a great deal to do with how much he contributes to the team’s ability to score points.

To complete the analogy, winning souls in the Christian life is like scoring points in a football game.

Two Benefits

The Bible clearly teaches that Christians will receive rewards in heaven and some people see that as a negative. They suggest we’ll be called out for doing sinful things. I don’t see it that way. I’ll share more about specific rewards just now but first a little perspective…

Let’s start with a fact. You will never change your basic nature. You will never be anything other than a sinner. There is no such thing as a sinless saint.

But that observation provokes a question. If no Christian will ever cease to be a sinner, why is clean living a worthy goal? If I can’t elevate myself spiritually why bother?

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That question applies to everyone. Even the likes of Mother Theresa in her most spiritually sacrificial moments still grappled with a sinful nature.

The reality is you may find ways to live apart from sin but you’ll never be above it.

So, what’s the point? Why do we bother at all? That question has a two-part answer. [Read more…] about 1 Ultimate Goal For Every Christian

Old Testament Laws Changed Society But Did Nothing To Change Basic Human Nature

“Unworthy” Speaks To The Manner In Which You Relate To Others Not Your Nature